Michi: Path
by TheContheDistance
Summary: It was decided. She was going to have to find some way of freeing herself from Orochimaru. All thoughts of being with Gaara left behind, Emiko is now setting out on the next journey in her life, along with some old and new faaces. On Hiatus. OCx?
1. Chapter 1: Caught

_Please don't read the first one. It's not good ._

_TheContheDistance doesn't own Naruto.

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Found unconscious along the streets of Konoha, a girl named Emiko is sent to Suna to try to regain her memories. While remembering part of her past in Suna, she begins to have feelings for Gaara before joining Sakura, Temari, and Kankuro to return to Konoha for the latter three's Chuunin exams. Through attacks by Hunter-Nin and frustrating training sessions with her new sensei, she realizes that she comes from the Land of Mist and inherits a special yet dangerous kekkai genkai. She was assumed to be the last of her clan through her memories.

Finally deciding to break out of Konoha's suppressing chains, Emiko leaves behind Gaara and the village, seeking power to control her Hyouton kekkai-genkai and find her purpose in the world.

Michi (Path)

**The orange-haired kunoichi propped open one of the windows in the office. The room was unbearably stuffy and it only added to the austere atmosphere. How he managed to work alongside the other coarse Council members of Suna, she didn't know. They didn't seem to trust him either. Everything about the Sand was crude and severe. At least the political turmoil had settled down recently. With a new Kazekage elected, things began to calm. **

**The corners of her mouth twitched downwards, she had been feeling quite useless recently. There wasn't much for her to do other than the occasional missions (which she wasn't supposed to be doing) and try to regain her memories. It was a pathetic existence. Yet there was still Gaara, but caring about him didn't give her a reason to be alive. **

**Emiko heard a sudden gust of sand, and straightened up quickly. The sand disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, settling into the form of the Kazekage. A slight frown marred his pale face; the shadows around his eyes were darker than usual. It must have been a bad meeting. The severity of his expression softened to a mere scowl as he sat down in his chair. His tired eyes met her grey ones.**

**"Gaara-" **

"Wake-y, wake-y, brat. It's time for your daily check-up."

The orange-haired kunoichi sat up wearily, casting a furtive look to the man who entered the room. She could already feel the all too familiar heat of chakra binding her wrists and ankles together. It was unfortunate too; she thought with distaste, she hadn't even been able to get out of bed yet.

As customary, she managed to shift her body so her back was facing him. Emiko closed her eyes, and waited for the scuffle of his sandals to indicate when it would start. Her eyes opened again. Silence permeated the room. _What is he doing?_ She grimaced.

"Ibara, are you waiting for something?"

The man sneered as blue chakra grew on his hands. He forcefully placed his palms on her back, her spine tensing at the familiar routine. He heard her breathing become labored, and her shoulders sag._ She'll be out for a day. Finally. I won't have to back here for another four days. _

Ibara scoffed as he removed his hands from her back. Emiko had fallen on her side without his support. It was quite a pathetic sight to see, the same girl that had tried to escape twice, slumped on her bed and utterly helpless. He smirked and left her room, knowing that this was probably the best thing to happen to him today. Yes, he was a sadistic bastard. But then again, most of his comrades (if he could call them that) were exactly the same: bitter, sadistic, and unique in their own grotesque ways.

Emiko stared at the ceiling, resentment and anger burning in the pit of her stomach. Gray eyes traced every crack in the stone, memorizing each fault in the ceiling. She wasn't going to pretend that being in this situation wasn't a major blow to her pride. She knew that she had lost, and she had given up; and that made her even more disgraceful. She couldn't even move her neck to stare at something other than the fucking ceiling, for Kami's sake! She was revolted by everything in this situation.

She wasn't going to be able to move for two days, maybe one if she was lucky. Having her chakra drained every four days made her weaker than ever. She'd probably die because Ibara drained her chakra so much, but that didn't seem true for they hadn't killed her even when they had the opportunity to. After all of Emiko's attempts to flee, one would think that they wouldn't bother themselves with such an unruly captive and just do away with her. Apparently that wasn't right.

The first escape attempt hadn't been planned out very well, and occurred as soon as they accompanied her outside of her holding cell. Basically put, she made a run for it and knocked out anyone who tried to stop her. Emiko hadn't even made it outside the lair, yet no one was following her. It was surprising, and in a moment of naivety, she believed she could actually escape.

That was Emiko's thoughts before she stopped to vomit and passed out. When she woke from that little escapade she vomited again and had violent migraines for a week. She was put on "probation", and so began the routine of draining her chakra. The probation period only lasted a month, and Emiko was locked up in room with a meal consisting of bread only once a day. Clearly they didn't want to kill her. All the same, as soon as the probation ended she was moved into a bleak room with a cot to serve as a bed. There was a small closet, as well as a tiny bathroom on the other side. Minimal, functional, and private; a generous life for a prisoner.

……………………………………

Ibara scowled as he waited for a response. It was bad enough that he was inside this room with the disgusting smell of decay hanging in the air. _That's not all I can smell._ He grimaced and scratched his back brusquely, still trying to overlook the pungent smell of death. He usually didn't mind it, even going as far to enjoying the smell of an opponent's blood… but the stench hung so thickly in the air that he felt the urge to puke.

Various body parts floated lazily in their jars. A tentacle uncurled itself in the thick fluid. The wood panels on the ceiling and walls were coated with a thick layer of grime and dirt. Candlelight reflected off the dirty beakers, the shadows quivering like living things only added to the sinister atmosphere. So much for a sanitary medical room…

The young man's hands deftly separated the brown powder. He ground the brown seeds with a mortar. He nodded to himself cheerfully. Ibara wondered how in the hell someone so malicious could act so happy and carefree. Not unlike all his so-called associates, he really disliked the grey-haired man. The simpering expression on the medic's face seemed to be capable of pissing any shinobi off. Perhaps, the medic even thought of it as a _gift_.

"Your ability, Ibara-san, is that of the Akadou clan. You were chosen for this reason, and you will be rewarded for it as well. You don't want to go back to the prison cells, do you?" the man looked at Ibara with a grin.

Ibara snorted in response and adjusted his dark glasses on the bridge of his nose. He still felt resentful because of his time as a captive.

The real prison cells (unlike the captive's room he just visited) weren't maintained and as a result, were horrible places to live in. The ground, walls and ceiling were made of stone. Since the cells were on the lowest level of the base, the air was clammy and it had no source of light other than the few candles lining the walls. Rodents had found their home in those diseased cells.

There were at least ten people per cell, tension and random outbreaks of violence were a constant. Although food wasn't hard to come by and there was enough for everyone, it was insipid and old. The guards often terrorized or humiliated prisoners for their own sadistic amusement, and the bleak atmosphere became even drearier. The captives were dismal and the all-consuming sense of insignificance and oppression only prompted their fervent desire for freedom.

"I won't go back to that hell hole."

The grey-haired man smiled, Ibara snarled in anger. This stupid medic could invoke such anger. _Bastard…_

"That's good, Ibara. Your loyalty is appreciated."

The dark-haired shinobi was already turning on his heel, more than willing to leave the medic's presence. The smirk still in place, the younger man called out to him.

"Oh, Ibara? Don't forget that you should speak to Orochimaru-sama."

He walked out of the door, pretending that he didn't feel a shiver run down his spine as he heard _that_ name. He didn't even pause when he nearly ran into a black-haired boy. Ibara felt sweat form at his brow as he pounded down the hall, away from the sinister chakra filling the air.

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_Hello! Long time, no see, huh? Well this is the sequel to __Breathe, for Everything Ends. May be a good idea to read the first one, but you don't have to (wasn't that good anyway). This will be probably equal in length, but hopefully much, much better! Hope you enjoyed the beginning! - TheContheDistance  
_


	2. Chapter 2: Hopes and Dreams

**Hello to you all! I hope you're enjoying the story. The posting may be a bit erratic but I'll try to post as regularly as I can. A big thank you to greenteamoose (the amazing beta and reviewer!) and J1210 (Thank you! ^_^) . So let's start this chapter already!**

**Me: Disclaiming time! Emiko, go!**

**Emiko: First to disclaim, huh? Yeah, yeah, I get it. TheContheDistance doesn't own Naruto.

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"Emiko-san…"

"Usui, is that you?"

"Y-yes. I-I thought you m-might want some f-food?" the young girl choked out. She was such a nervous girl, and one of the kindest out of all the Otokage's subjects. She was the guinea pig for most of the experiments. Usui was born in Otogakure, the unfortunate offspring of a prison guard. She was weak and timid; she hated to fight. Her life was made of beatings and scorn, but she had taken it upon herself to serve the Sound as faithfully as she could.

"Has Somatsu been complaining about me?"

The scuffling sounds from Usui's feet halted. Emiko waited impatiently for an answer. She couldn't let her frustration show. Usui would get frightened and start stuttering and it would be pointless to try to get any kind of answer out of her then.

"U-uh… S-Somatsu-san has been in a very er-erratic mood recently," she whispered. She bent her head so her pale hair could hide her face. She continued to shuffle around the room; setting the bread down, lighting candles, wiping dust off the bureau. Anything to keep herself preoccupied.

Emiko sighed. That would be all she could get out of the girl. What useless information. Usui swiveled toward her.

"I-I'm s-sorry! Is there anything else y-you want me to f-find out?"

Apparently Emiko hadn't bottled up her emotions well enough. She considered it for a moment. Usui could never be able to spy for information, it wasn't her nature. Usui was sweet and kind, and wouldn't harm a fly. What _would_ she be able to learn from weak little Usui anyway? No, it was a waste of time.

"No."

Usui flinched. After a quick bow she scurried out of the room as fast as common courtesy would allow her. Emiko cursed under her breath. She _had_ scared her after all. Shit. A surge of frustration crashed over her, and she felt her head become heavy. "Damn it!"

Emiko punched the wall. She cursed; another punch. She fell back onto the bed. She couldn't strain herself the day after her chakra drained. She was lucky to recover quickly this time, but now Emiko felt exhausted. She glared at the wall for causing all her problems. _Being reckless will do you no good, so stop. There is no point in fracturing your hand… He would have to come back. You don't want that. Damn it, this is frustrating._ She sighed loudly.

"There is no point in it."

_

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_

_Kimi no kokoro e,  
Kimi no kokoro e,  
Todoke, todoke, todoke._

_Boku no kokoro ga,  
Kimi no kokoro e,  
Todoku you ni,  
Utauyo..._

Something soft fell on her eyelids, feather light and delicate. A slight breeze flitted across her face and she could feel whatever-it-was slip off her eyes. She opened them slowly and realized, not with wariness or alarm, but a strange sort of serenity, that she was propped up against something rough. She lifted her head, still dazed and passive, to see hundreds of pink petals floating through the air. A small smile grazed her weary features as she held out her hands to catch one of the delicate petals.

The breeze teased the tips of the grass, letting them bend and sway in a rhythmic pattern. Forward and back, in and out, breathing with the wind. It was beautiful.

It was a large field, thick with grass and flowers, under a blue sky. The solitary cherry blossom tree stood in the middle of the field, with a figure resting at its roots. _Heaven__…_The breeze spun the blossoms into the air. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky.

_Boku wa michi wo nakushi,  
Kotoba sura nakushite shimau,  
Dakedo hitotsu dake wa…_

_Nokotteta, nokotteta…  
Kimi no koe ga!_

Emiko cradled a sakura blossom with both hands, holding it to her heart. She felt herself smile and her eyes close. Her chest didn't hurt. A cloud passed over her head, blotting out the sun momentarily. She stood up, the fleeting instant of fear easing out of her system.

_Kumo ga kireta saki wo,  
Mitara kitto._

_Ne, wakaru deshou?  
Ne, wakaru deshou?_

"Gaara!"

Her eyes widened and she reached for him, fingertips nearly touching. He held out his arm. He wasn't straining to grasp her hand. Emiko's feet were rooted to the spot. His expression held a tinge of hurt to it, the frown marring his features was evident. The same expression he had the last time. Callous and bitter. Emiko urged her body to move. _I'm reaching for you! _She couldn't make a sound.

Another cloud floated overhead, this one darker. The sunlight vanished, the field enveloped in shadow. The sakura tree rustled, feeling the absence of protection from the cold. The pink petals had been blown away, and the dull grass lay flat against the ground.

_Aimai ni ikiteite mo,  
Kokoro ga mijyuku demo,  
Sore de ii hora soko ni wa,  
Daiji na hito ga iru._

Emiko felt a rising fear grow in her chest as she looked at the darkening sky. She turned back to Gaara and reached out for him again. He stared at the sky impassively before looking at her again. His face held a vacant expression. No emotions. Nothing. He disappeared in a veil of sand, leaving her grasping the empty air.

She shielded her body with her arms, protecting herself from the sand flying about her. She could barely breathe, the air was dry and hot and dusty. Emiko relaxed her clenched fist to see the soft petal float out of her hand and into the thrashing sand. The bile rose in her throat and soon she was choking for air, struggling to breathe. Her body curled into a crouch, her hands covering her head. Through the blasts of sand, she could barely make out another person standing in front of her.

_Doko made mo...  
Doko made mo...  
Doko made mo..._

_Ima dake demo ii…  
Ima dake demo ii…_

Emiko opened her eyes, feeling the familiar ache in her muscles and bones. This is what happened each time her chakra was drained. The pain, the exhaustion, the inability to move, every single time. What the hell did Orochimaru want with her anyway? They had met a couple of times, the first being the time she was captured. He had given her fair warning that running away wouldn't be the best of ideas. She had thrown up in response. Being in Orochimaru's presence was one of the most terrifying experiences she had ever had. She didn't understand it herself, but the Snake Sanin provoked something so strong she had never felt before. Emiko was scared for her life. He was revolting and grotesque. The suffocating scent of death clung to him. His eyes and smile terrified her. She didn't want to show her fear in front of him, not even a little. But being physically sick from an emotion was new to her, and she didn't want to experience it again.

Still, she had been barraged with memories the moment she saw his pallid features. None of it made any sense to her. But one thing had been certain of the jumble of memories Emiko had received: she had heard of Orochimaru before.

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The door creaked open, light from the hallway spilling into the room. The man's shadow stretched across the room and over the bed. His steps were naturally silent, something that many ninja had to train relentlessly to achieve. The smirk on his face couldn't be seen, but light glinted off the rim of his glasses. A grey eyebrow rose as he stood in front of the bed, watching the girl feign sleep.

Who did she think she was fooling? She must have closed her eyes just as he opened the door. He couldn't see her face, nor could he know that her fists were clenched

"You might not want to play games today, Emiko-kun. Orochimaru-sama wants to see you, so you need to get ready."

"And why should I go?" her body was facing the wall, clearly stating her defiance. If that was the case, Kabuto sighed, he would just have to do something about it. Kabuto didn't care whether or not she wanted to go, if it was _his_ will then it would have to be done. Besides, Orochimaru had been fickle recently and wouldn't be happy if he didn't get what he wanted. Despite his evident approval of his new prodigy, his waning health was taking a toll on his temperament.

Kabuto was irritated by the new arrival, who had decided that he was too 'powerful and superior' to recognize Orochimaru's status. It wasn't just the disrespect that bothered him, it was _everything._ But most of all, it was the fear. It was difficult handling the boy, who was now much, much older and much, much more dangerous.

"Remember your place, Emiko-kun. You shouldn't forget that you are a prisoner. If you don't watch your tongue, it might get cut off. Besides, you might find Orochimaru-sama has something that may be of your _interest._"

Her brows furrowed, the very mention of his name made her back stiffen. She slowly pulled herself in a sitting position and directed a glance at the medic. The shadows hid half of her face, the dark circles under her eyes appearing even deeper in the dim light. Emiko slid off the bed and stood up, fixing Kabuto with a baleful stare.

His mouth curled into a smirk and he threw the short-sleeved jacket to her. She caught it effortlessly, examining the back of the clothing to see a white ying-yang. _What's this…isn't it…?_ The jacket was made of rough tan fabric and a high collar to protect her neck.

"You should put it on; it just might protect you..."

"Is there a reason why you're giving me clothes, or are all people in Sound so generous?" she gestured to her clothing grimly. Emiko slipped inside the jacket and crossed her arms. Kabuto's smirk widened and he secured chakra restraints on her wrists. She followed him to the Otokage's room, as reluctant as ever to see what he had in store for her.


	3. Chapter 3: Fear and Anger

**Hey everyone. Hate to be a pain, but please review! Right! Kabuto lets disclaim!**

**Kabuto: Sorry, TheContheDistace-san, but I'm rather busy. Maybe Kimimaru can do it.**

**Me: But he's kind of dead. Nah, nah… how about Shino? Yeah!**

**Shino: You forgot about me in your last story.**

**Me: Err, did I? Heh, sorry! But can you disclaim anyway?**

**Shino: TheContheDistance doesn't own Naruto. … She forgot about me in the last one. I am unimportant. **

**Palms forehead: Jeez, such a complainer.

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When Emiko had first been captured they wanted her to coincide with Sound shinobi garb. They had presented her with a beige tunic. The same white ying-yang sign was emblazoned on the back. Emiko point blank refused to wear it, and surprisingly enough Kabuto didn't force the issue, although he mentioned that the uniform was specific to elite Sound Shinobi. Instead he told her that her clothes were too small for her and she would have to wear Otogakure clothing even if she didn't want to.

Guards accompanied them to the women's clothing room, which initiated her first escape attempt. She didn't know that Kabuto had told the guards to stay back and let the real Sound shinobi handle it. One of the ninja had created a sound wave that knocked her out. She hadn't gotten very far.

After probation ended and Emiko was moved into her current room, Kabuto brought her to the closet of women's clothing again. She kept her mesh shirt, but took a dark navy v-neck shirt to cover her over-exposed chest. Emiko was irritated to find that the only clothing to substitute her outgrown pants were tiny black shorts that the prison guards wore. The shorts barely covered their butts. A white skirt with a purple trim was the only alternative. The skirt was thin and feminine; nevertheless it was much better than the shorts. At least she would be able to move in them.

"Orochimaru."

"As disrespectful as always, Emiko-kun."

A gigantic stone snake statue was curled in the front of the hall. It had empty sockets for eyes. The flickering candlelight was surprisingly bright. Even so, the way the Otokage stood, the shadows made his features (already appearing like a mere imitation of a human face) haggard and pasty. He stood in front of the statue's mouth, its eyes watching, waiting.

_How intimidating. _Emiko narrowed her eyes at the figure in front of her. She never _did_ like snakes.

"What do you want, Orochimaru?"

"I think it's time that we discuss your residence here. You don't have to be a prisoner any longer. I will give you freedom in exchange for your cooperation."

"'Freedom' is a bit of an overstatement, isn't it?" she retorted. Kabuto cast her a condescending glance. She just didn't understand. She could have liberty to explore the lair (granted she would be under heavy surveillance) if she agreed. The supervision was as much for preventing her escape as it was for her safety. Sound Nin didn't care for restraining their impulses for their fellow comrades. They ignored special status, even if who-ever-it-was was Orochimaru's pet.

"You're being awfully ungrateful for a _captive_," the medic snapped.

"Tch." Emiko adjusted her gloves airily.

"Now, now, Emiko-kun.... Did you notice something, Kabuto? Emiko-kun looks quite a lot like little Anko with her hair like that."

"Now that you mention it, she does look a lot like Anko-san."

Emiko froze. _How do they know her?_

"You didn't know, Emiko-kun? Anko-san was Orochimaru-sama's student," he refrained from mentioning that she was his _first_ student. Spitefulness was not a desired trait.

"No… I did not."

A cluster of thoughts entered her mind. Emiko's head swam. Was Anko working for Orochimaru all along? Did she sell her out to them? Was that why they captured her? In that case Anko was betraying Konoha. Emiko scowled, and Konoha had betrayed her.

"Emiko-kun, you should try to listen to what Orochimaru-sama is offering. He is being especially generous to you. He probably knows you better than you know yourself," Kabuto muttered. She turned to give him an insolent look, "Is that so?"

"Can you elaborate on that?" she continued, now glaring at the Sanin. The thin smirk on his face widened complacently.

"When the time is right, Emiko-kun…"

Truthfully the one thing holding her retort back was her fear. She wasn't going to pretend that she felt only rosy feelings for the Otokage, but she wouldn't be able to get away with her impertinence forever. Orochimaru was hard to deal with as it was.

Emiko froze when he spoke again, though he wasn't addressing her.

"Have you recovered enough to train, Sasuke-kun? I'm afraid those Kumogakure shinobi were a bit hard on you."

He stood half hidden in the shadows, only the outline of his body visible. Even so, there was a conscious aura of anger and power acknowledging his presence. The air tensed with heavy silence. The red glow of Sharingan peeked out as he lifted his head to face them. His eyes slid over to the Otokage, narrowing ever so slightly as they passed the kunoichi and medic.

"Training begins now, Orochimaru."

Kabuto clucked his tongue distastefully, "You know better than to disrespect Orochimaru-sama, Sasuke-kun."

He received a particularly nasty glare from the black-haired teenager. His forced smile faded into a scowl as he remembered why he disliked the genius so much. Kabuto shook his head, managing to pull together another smirk._ It won't be long before Orochimaru-sama switches into Sasuke-kuns body. I can wait…_

Emiko grimaced. Her day had taken a swift plunge for the worse now that _he_ showed up. No, she didn't hate him; she just tried to avoid him at all costs. All her attempts to evade him didn't work as successfully as she hoped. Today would be a prime example.

"Don't be so hasty, Sasuke-kun. Your body needs to fully recuperate."

"Your body is still weak from that mission, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto put in.

She wondered if it was just her imagination causing the tomoe of his Sharingan to spin. Emiko tensed and her hands grew numb. _What irrational fear…_

The carefully controlledanger was beginning to leak from his body in palpable waves. Kabuto shifted his weight on his feet uneasily, another temper tantrum... this was going to be bad.

If Orochimaru had noticed the sudden shift in atmosphere he didn't show it. The simpering expression never once faltered on his synthetic face. He did, however, change his mind about training. The two of them quickly left, leaving Kabuto and his charge behind.

"Keep up."

She picked up her pace sullenly, following the grey-haired medic through a maze of rooms. He seemed to know everything he needed to do without a list, and did so diligently. His pace was quick and business-like. He abruptly turned without warning.

Through the long hallway, a left, another left, down the passageway to the first door on the right. They entered through the metal door, padlocked and heavy.

It was a large room, rows of large water tanks lined across the floor. Each of the containers were as tall as Kabuto but nearly two times as wide. But the tanks were empty, only water filled the huge glass jars. Kabuto was walked up to them, caring a triumphant smirk. Emiko deemed him insane as he began to mutter to the glass. He looked thoroughly pleased when he finished each of his one-sided conversations.

Emiko grew bored with the medic's quiet taunts to the water tanks and thought about her predicament. They hadn't bound her with chakra rope, there were no guards patrolling close behind. It was just the pain in the ass, also known as Kabuto, supervising her. In fact Emiko was supposed to _help_ Kabuto with his chores. Had she really gotten so predictable? Well, she could prove them wrong. She could try to escape again. Try... But that would be pointless! The same thing would happen like the attempt before, and the attempt before that. Every single time she was hit with that strange attack it felt like someone blasted her ear open and shook her brain until she couldn't think, much less stand upright. Then she would collapse into a pile of her own vomit. Yuck.

So she _was_ predictable. But she wouldn't bow her head down and submit to anything she was supposed to do! _I refuse! _She thought irritably, _I will not be a compliant servant to __**that**__ bastard... Kami, how did I get in this shit?!_ Emiko scowled at the medic's back. He turned around and told her that glaring at him really didn't do any good and she better learn some respect.

"-Now let's go. We have more errands to do," Kabuto had already started toward the door.


	4. Chapter 4: A Threat

Hey everyone! A belated Happy Holidays to everyone! So sorry for the long wait, I had a nightmare of a vacation. . Hope everyone had a good vacation. Thanks to everyone who reviewed (Chaotic Darkness, greenteamoose, and J1210 [like J one to ten?]). Soooo let's disclaim!

Naruto: Yosh! I'll disclaim, dattebayo!

Me: Alright! You were pretty freaking sweet in the manga, good job!

Naruto: Hehe, it was nothing!

Me: Well okay! Disclaim dude! And remind people to review!

Naruto: TheContheDistance doesn't own me, dattebayo!

Me: …Cough, cough.

Naruto: …

Me: Cough! reviews! Cough!

Naruto: Oh yeah! Everyone review!

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............

"-Was that really _him_?"

"I told you already. It was Sasuke-kun!"

"But Somatsu-san! He looked so… -"

"Good point, Risu-chan. He seems-"

"Shut it, Kenta. Sasuke-kun is more of a man than you'll ever be. Look at you, slobbering all over Ahouko! If she even had one brain cell in her head, she would know about your pathetic excuse for love and devotion!"

Kabuto slowed to a stop outside of the doorway. The door was slightly ajar so the conversations taking place inside leaked into the hallway. The tell tale smirk grew. Emiko knew all too well it promised trouble. Kabuto strode inside the common room. Emiko followed, her mouth pulling into a grimace. She hated being in these rooms. There was one of them in each hideout, a place for all the guards and ninja to congregate. It was a pain in the ass to deal with.

"Somatsu, you should be wiser when it comes to speaking about Sasuke-kun. He isn't the most agreeable type."

"Hmph, I suppose you would know. Wouldn't you, _Kabuto_?" she snapped. Oh how she wanted to smack that stupid grin of his face!

Risu skittered to Somatsu's side, plucking anxiously at the older kunoichi's shirt. She mumbled something incoherent into her ear, clearing conveying her apprehension. When Somatsu looked back at Kabuto her defiance had vanished, but there was a certain degree of murderous intent still simmering underneath the surface. Kabuto simpered complacently, giving a nod to Risu and Kenta before turning on his heel and leaving. Emiko sighed and followed him.

"Oh no, no! Why are you leaving so fast, huh?" Somatsu cut in quickly, "Are we too lowly for your presence, hm? You're a bit arrogant now that your Orochimaru-sama's new play toy! Hmm… Emiko-_kun_?"

"Fuck off, Somatsu."

The brown-haired kunoichi glared at her retreating back.

* * *

Emiko's mind wandered as Kabuto completed the rest of his chores. The prison guards reported no dilemmas, although there was a small riot that produced a couple of fatalities. Most of the experiments were in a stable condition, some of them had developed illnesses due to the breakdown of their immune systems. Experiments ran a certain degree of risk when performed on living animals. There was a good chance that a prisoner could have a bad reaction to an experiment. The medic's mind flickered to the insolent kunoichi next to him as he looked over the various experiments in their beds. She would be joining them soon enough.

He accompanied her to her room, deciding impulsively that he should relay some information to her. Orochimaru-sama probably knew he would tell her, he was really very predictable.

"We'll be transferring to the next base in the next week. Unfortunately you won't be conscious for the move, but you will be brought along as well. Your behavior will be judged. Don't try anything stupid."

Emiko looked at him blankly. She knew what he was getting at. If she cooperated with Orochimaru, she might earn freedom. But if there was any truth to that statement, she didn't want any part of it. Cooperating with Orochimaru? By what means did 'freedom' really mean 'freedom' anyways? There was no way she would really be free, not unless she escaped. There was no way she would be able to see Gaara ever again. There was no way she would be anything more than a prisoner ever again. This is what her existence came down to. She was nothing.

The door shut soundlessly, leaving her in the darkness of her room. She fumbled around for matches, then decided against it. She edged her way to her bunk, almost jamming her toe in a crack in the floor. Emiko sat against the cool wall of stone. She could hear the quiet slaps of feet against stone in the hallway. Maybe if she closed her eyes and concentrated she could hear Sasuke training in the forest. Maybe if she strained her ears a little more, she could hear Sakura collecting papers to deliver to Tsunade-sama. And maybe, just maybe if she could strain her hard enough, Emiko could hear the creak of the Kazekage's chair in his office.

* * *

"How are you feeling Orochimaru-sama?"

The Otokage was thrown into fit of coughs. Kabuto grimaced and offered him the medicine. This was troublesome. Orochimaru had been suffering from frequent coughing fits. Clearly his body's health was deteriorating, and the strength of the medicine was escalating rather quickly but…

"Orochimaru-sama-"

"Kabuto-!" he gasped and his back gave a violent shake. The medic rushed to his side. He nearly shoved the medication in the Otokage's hands. This was bad, very bad. Kabuto was panic-stricken, Orochimaru wasn't breathing. The Otokage was winded and gasping her air.

"Orochimaru-sama, please take the medicine!"

"Thank you, Kabuto," Orochimaru said as soon as he stopped wheezing. The coughing fit had subsided, but his hands continued to tremble, "Bring me some tea."

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama… We'll need to upgrade the rank of this medicine in time to transfer hideouts. Maybe it isn't a good idea to do it so soon…" Kabuto handed him the tea, "Has Sasuke-kun improved since last time?"

A smirk appeared on the Otokage's face.

"Sasuke-kun is more of a genius than I was at that age. Still, his emotions have an unreasonable hold on him... Sasuke-kun refuses to kill anyone."

"And what does Emiko-kun have to do with this?"

"Ah, you still remember that conversation. Emiko-kun has her purpose; she is more than _just_ a pawn for experimentation."

"You perplex me, Orochimaru-sama. You still won't tell me why she is so useful?"

The Sanin chuckled, "But it serves you no benefit to know… I'll tell you this; Sasuke-kun's body won't last forever."

* * *

A puff of white vapor blew from her mouth. The only sound was her slow breathing and the steady rhythm of dripping water. Sweat ran down her forehead. Emiko moved her hands into a seal and focused her chakra. Water lifted off the ground in a quivering form and lashed around wildly. Drops of water sprayed against the wall. Her brows furrowed in concentration. Emiko forced the stream of water to whip across the wood beams. The stream wove into itself and the volume of water composed itself into a quivering mass. Her mouth twitched as she fought to control her kekkai-genkai. Emiko released the seal and a ball of ice fell on the ground.

Emiko closed her eyes, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease. She could hear the impatient tapping of her foot. Emiko sighed, "Alright. I'll fight you."

"Heh, it won't take long. Are you sure you want to get beaten up?"

"You should ask yourself that question, Somatsu."

"Hmph, I just want to see what Orochimaru's pet can do. You're probably not even as good as Kimimaro."

"You spend too much time bull shitting."

"You don't even know me, you piece of shit! Weaklings like you deserve to get messed up!" Somatsu snapped, "Moguragakure no Jutsu!" She smashed through the floor with a loud crash. Somatsu's shock of brown-blonde hair vanished as she burrowed underground.

Emiko cursed to herself. _Elements… think… think! Somatsu must be an Earth type if she is using that kind of jutsu. Earth beats water. Wait a second-_ She barely managed to avoid the fist that broke out of the earth.

"Got ya'."

Somatsu seized Emiko's ankle and pulled it under the floor. She laughed, "Not so tough now, eh Emiko-_kun_? But I'm not even done yet, just wait and see…" Somatsu held onto her ankle and hit the rock with her spare hand. A wave of vibrations hit the ginger-haired kunoichi. She fell to her knees on the floor as the chakra-controlled vibrations paralyzed her muscles.

"You want to know what I just did to you? Well, it's pretty awesome. Using my chakra I can send vibrations into your body and paralyze your muscles. Isn't that cool? I mean, I haven't had too many chances to try it out, but I'm glad it worked on you."

Somatsu climbed out of the rift in the ground. An eerie pattern crept along her arm and shoulder, the jagged zigzags wound around her neck. She rolled her shoulders as the pattern spiraled down her back. She looked down at Emiko now with a hardened gaze, "I knew you were a load of crap. You're a waste, a nothing… Why would Orochimaru choose _you_ of all people?"

"You're pathetic," Emiko mumbled. She was laid on the floor with her cheek pressed against the ground. She winced as she eased her foot out of the cracks. Emiko rose slowly to her feet and faced her opponent. Somatsu looked at her incredulously.

"How are you able to move?! That's not possible!"

"You don't know the limitations of your own jutsu. Pain can cancel out most Genjutsu or paralysis," Emiko wiped blood off her lip, "I was able to use that and summon my chakra to overcome your jutsu. This fight is over now."

Somatsu's eyes narrowed, "That was nothing! You haven't seen what I can really do!"

She slammed her hands to the ground. Immediately, another wave of vibrations shocked the very foundations of the arena. Emiko jumped off the ground before her body had been hit. _I need to disable her arms; that's where all of this is coming from. She must be a long-range fighter. Close combat it is._

A large boulder collided into her, Emiko slammed into the wall by the force of the rock. There was another crash when the rock fell to the floor. Apparently, Somatsu also had ridiculous strength. Emiko clung to the wall with chakra. Below her Somatsu slammed one palm against the wall. Emiko launched herself off the wall before the vibrations could hit her.

"You're not a bird Emiko; you can't avoid these shock waves like that! What goes up, _must come down_!"

"You are absolutely right."

Somatsu froze and her smirk fell. Emiko twisted Somatsu's arm behind her back. The brown-haired kunoichi yelped. She was utterly bewildered; had this girl always been that fast? _When-? When did she move? It looked like she just disappeared. I didn't even know she was behind me until she spoke._

Emiko jerked her arm roughly until there was an unpleasant 'pop'. She threw Somatsu to the ground and sat on top of her. Emiko calmly gripped her light brown hair and smashed Somatsu's head against the stone floor. Smears of blood appeared on the floor. She stopped crushing Somatsu's skull against the rock when she heard a faint crack. Red stained the blonde-brown hair and dripped into puddle of blood underneath Somatsu's head. Emiko bent over until she and Somatsu were eye to eye.

"Next time… I'll kill you."

Emiko released Somatsu's hair, the girl groaned when her head collided with the ground. She stood up and walked to the entrance of the arena. She paused next to a figure leaning against the wall. Emiko looked at him out of the corner of her eye. He had been there the entire time. His arms were crossed and his posture was relaxed, he wasn't the least bit concerned about the unconscious girl on the ground. She looked back down the hall: she just wanted to go to her room.

"Satisfied?"


	5. Chapter 5: Something New

**Sorry for the long wait. I got something like Carpal Tunnel (no joke) so I have to wear a brace. Thus typing ain't that easy. But to make up for the absence, here's a long-ish chapter. Thanks to greenteamoose, and J1210 (that was hilarious by the way). So let's get someone new to disclaim!**

**Kiba: Alright! It's about time!**

**Me: Yeah, sorry. But can you disclaim, like now? We got to get this show on the road!**

**Kiba: Okay, okay! TheContheDistance doesn't own Naruto, alright?**

**Me: Hmmm a bit aggressive, are we?**

**Kiba: It's because you keep messing with Akamaru! Stop that! W-wait, put Akamaru down! Let him go! Noooooooo!**

**Me: Hehehehe….. okay, I'll give him back to you!**

**Kiba: Grumble, grumble….

* * *

  
**

"Satisfied?"

"You did well, Emiko-kun. I didn't expect you to be so hesitant though…"

"Can I leave now, Kabuto?"

"Sorry, Emiko-kun. I need to run a couple of medical tests on your body, Orochimaru-sama's orders."

"Medical?" she snapped incredulously, "I won't be another one of your fucking experiments."

"I promise you that these tests are not for experimental reasons."

Emiko scowled, she really didn't have much of a choice either way. Kabuto could knock her out if she wasn't going to come with him freely. It didn't matter if he was telling the truth or not. She didn't have a choice either way. It was time to face whatever was coming her way. She wouldn't let her fears control her, nor would she be predictable any longer. She wouldn't look back.

"Let's get this shit over with."

"Language, Emiko-kun," he reminded her with a forced smile.

* * *

Kabuto adjusted his glasses carelessly. He was concentrating on the reaction of her blood to the antibodies. He was almost finished analyzing her DNA and blood. He had waited to this point, where she had grown to accept her fate as a captive, to appease his suspicions. It surprised him all the same when she didn't even try to worm her way out of it. He thought her will would last just a bit longer than others, but eventually all prisoners lost hope.

The first time he saw Emiko fight, he noticed a rather puzzling outcome. No shinobi was invincible, but she was unnaturally lethargic after _just_ one fight. It was strange, but Kabuto passed it off as a coincidence. Then he began to rethink his dismissal when it became problematic. Even Orochimaru mentioned it once.

Little by little, he began to notice otherwise insignificant little symptoms. The dark bags under her eyes, her pale skin, her difficulty breathing… then he noted her clumsiness, and constant paranoia and sharp attitude. She obviously didn't sleep. There was a good chance it was insomnia. But… It all seemed to add up.

So Kabuto did all he was capable of doing to fully examine her health. The medic was able to deduce her unusual heart rate and her weight as well as all of the blood tests he could find. Kabuto spent the rest of the day testing her blood, but he felt satisfied with his work by this time. He had found what he was looking for: a blood disease. A blood disease caused by the lack of healthy red blood cells, and then iron and hemoglobin diminution, causing all of the symptoms he had seen in Emiko.

* * *

Emiko groaned aloud. Her body was sore and cramped, she had no chakra, her joints ached, and she was nauseous. Everything just… _hurt_. She licked her chapped lips, catching the air on her tongue. It was cold and moist. The air smelled wonderful. Her tongue sought out the miniscule droplets of water drifting in the air.

Her eyes cracked open, she had to blink repeatedly to clear her vision. It had never been so difficult to do so before. _Ugh… I feel… like shit. _She groaned again.

"Quiet down brat."

Emiko's body tensed. The rocking motion continued despite her rising alarm. She could see the back of a man's head. She could feel her arms secured around his neck, and her legs supported by two hands. He was carrying Emiko on her back. She urged her mouth to move, to say something. What the fuck was happening?

"I knew it wouldn't work. Kabuto didn't give her a strong enough sedative. She'll be jabbering by sundown."

The owner of the voice wasn't the man supporting her weight. Emiko let her head loll to the side to achieve a better view of Ibara. He glared at her before walking ahead of the man carrying her. She became aware of the other shinobi with them. There may have been four or five others with them, but none among them were the Otokage or his right hand man.

"Kabuto's a dumbass."

"You sure we shouldn't just knock her out, Ibara?"

"Orochimaru-sama might have a fit, Moroi-san…"

This came from the man carrying her. He was speaking to a dark-haired woman walking beside him. Moroi was very small but vibrant. She walked with a prideful stride, and her head held high. She gave Emiko an inquisitive look.

Her back cracked loudly when Aseru readjusted her in his back. Emiko reminded herself that she felt like shit. Maybe her legs were bruising…

"Come of it, Aseru, you want to get rid of her too! She's just dead weight."

"I won't pretend that it doesn't bother me."

"Orochimaru and his little puppet aren't here... The only good thing about this entire trip…" Ibara muttered under his breath, "especially that little jerk off."

"You mean that Uchiha kid?"

Emiko's attempts to fall asleep seemed to be paying off. Her eyelids slid shut and her head flopped onto Aseru's shoulder. Her body went limp.

"Yeah… that kid…"

...

For the rest of the trip Emiko faded in and out of consciousness. She was informed rather rudely that Kabuto's sedative must have malfunctioned or was too weak to work properly. Ibara also mentioned that he had drained her chakra a couple of days before. They were currently migrating to the new hideout, located in the Tea country.

To Emiko's relief they set up camp a little after sundown. Aseru had continued to carry her without complaint, and finally released her once they stopped. He secured chakra restraints around her feet and wrists once more. It was just a precaution, she could barely move anyways. The dark-haired kunoichi– Moroi- returned with wood for a fire. Ibara quickly lit the pile of twigs, and the five of them huddled on hard-packed ground.

**…**

"Aw, you're so lucky, Aseru!" Moroi sang.

"The girl's right. You'll be able to get out of here now," Ibara grumbled.

Aseru shook his head, his sandy hair fell into his eyes. "It's not like that, Moroi-san. You know that I was originally a Chuunin from Sunagakure, and it's true… I do miss my home…" he looked up to the night sky. Emiko narrowed her eyes. Did he know Gaara? Did he know that Gaara was the Kazekage?

"But now you'll be able to go there! I mean, you can see your family and-!"

"You're very innocent, Moroi-chan."

Everyone turned to look at the hooded speaker. He had a soft smile on his face and his eyes were closed. He had a strange expression, almost like he was at peace with himself, within himself. Perhaps he was asleep, or he was drugged.

"He's right, I'm just a spy. I can't go home, Moroi, none of us can. Not even you," Aseru looked at Emiko.

"You're full of shit. You'll still be able to get out of the lair, unlike some of us," Ibara tossed the stick he was playing with behind him.

"Hey! Don't pick on him! Just because you are stuck guarding _her_ doesn't mean you can be a jerk to Aseru!"

"It was just luck, nothing more…" Aseru said quietly. Moroi and Ibara continued to bicker despite Aseru's unheard comment.

The group of shinobi fell into a heavy silence after a few minutes. Moroi flinched as the fire crackled sharply. Their faces were painted orange by the burning logs, the shadows beneath their eyes seemed eerie and their expressions, for the most part, were grim. Only the hooded man remained smiling, but he didn't speak again.

* * *

"Here it is, the Southern base. Home, sweet home."

Moroi stretched out her arms and sighed. The hooded man chuckled at the rear of the group. Ibara grumbled something under his breath and hoisted Emiko up again.

They faced a sheer wall of rock, forests littering the tops of the mountains above. It was strange that Moroi would call this mountain Orochimaru's base, much less a home. The ragtag team of ninja stopped before a large outcrop of rock. The hooded man pressed a piece of paper against the boulder and formed a seal. A line of spherical shapes wrapped around his hand. He leapt onto the boulder and turned back to the rest of the group. He gestured for the rest to jump onto the rock as well. The man then tapped the wall with a tattooed finger. The wall split evenly into five pieces.

"Let me handle this!" Moroi yelped before the hooded man could push the rock away. Aseru sighed at her childishness, but the hooded ninja stepped aside for her. Moroi rolled up her sleeves and destroyed the blocks of stone with chakra enhanced punches. Each chunk of rock broke down into piles of dust once she finished.

Without further ado, the team of ninja entered the hideout.

"I suppose Orochimaru-sama and that kid, Uchiha Sasuke, should be here by now," Aseru commented quietly.

Water droplets leaked from the ceiling in a steady rhythm. The hallway was dimly lit, like most of Orochimaru's lairs. Emiko had been to but a couple of compounds, and this was her first time at the south base. Unlike the one she usually stayed in, the walls were made of stone. The light bulbs strung from the ceiling flickered momentarily.

"Gaki and Karin are probably stalking the bastard now."

Moroi laughed at Ibara's comment. Emiko flinched. She hadn't heard anyone laugh that loudly in a long time. It was almost frightening.

"You're too loud, you little snot!" Ibara yelled. Aseru rolled his eyes. He was tired of his hot-blooded attitude. Usually Moroi got along with Ibara, well as much as he could, but this… how troublesome.

Emiko flinched at the mention of Karin. They had never been on the best terms, even the first time they met had been unpleasant. The rare times they had seen each other after that hadn't been much better. It was just a misunderstanding to begin with but the incident had bred a grudge between the two of them.

"Ah, you are late."

Ibara's head snapped up to see Kabuto walking down the hallway. _That idiot still has that fucking smirk. _

"Orochimaru-sama, Sasuke-kun and I arrived here yesterday. I suppose he had expected you to travel with haste… No, no, Orochimaru-sama wasn't pleased at all," he continued without pausing.

Aseru sighed, "We had a couple of hold ups." He looked pointedly at Emiko.

"I see," Kabuto crossed his arms, "In that case, I imagine it would be best for Emiko-kun to leave you then."

"'Leave'? What is that supposed to mean?" Emiko snapped. Ibara carelessly dropped her. She yelped as she ungracefully collapsed on the floor.

"Fucker…" she muttered under her breath as she rubbed her rear end. Ibara kicked her back.

"Shut up, you fucking pansy."

"Bastard-"

"Hey you!" a girl came running up to the group of shinobi. She adjusted her glasses before reddening, "Oh… Kabuto. I heard a couple of prisoners were moved here- it's you."

Emiko rose to her feet, eyes narrowing as they made contact with the red-haired kunoichi in front of her. Her day may have just gotten worse. Much, much worse.

"Karin."


	6. Chapter 6: Unpredictable

**Ack, has it been that long since I updated? Sorry! I'm pretty bad at that right now. A thanks to the ever awesome greenteamoose and J1210. A-okay! Sakuuuura!**

**Sakura: Hey! What do you need?**

**Me: Disclaiming please and thank you! *cough* If you want to mention comments, that would be cool too.**

**Sakura: Hm? Oh, okay! TheContheDistance doesn't own anything in the Naruto world, and she would like some comments!**

**Me: How… discreet?

* * *

  
**

"Karin."

The redhead placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the other kunoichi with distaste. Kabuto smirked to himself; it was amusing to see how they interacted with each other.

"I heard that you were coming here."

"That so?" Emiko asked coldly, "It seems that you know everything, Karin."

"Humph, at least I'm not some weak little bitch!"

"You fucking-"

"Karin, you wouldn't want to be caught shirking your duties, do you? I'll take Emiko to her room. If I'm correct, chakra draining is scheduled tomorrow; correct, Ibara? The rest of you may consult Soshiki for your duties. You are dismissed," Kabuto interrupted smoothly.

Ibara grunted before stalking off with Karin already far ahead. Aseru nodded, and Moroi gave a cheerful wave. Kabuto beckoned to her wearily and led her to her room. He was certain that it was going to be a long, long day.

* * *

He really was a genius. The way he moved, everything effortless, not a single step wasted… it was the work of a true prodigy. Emiko rolled her eyes as yet another ninja fell to the floor. It was ridiculous. Orochimaru could have at least picked some Jounins to fight Sasuke, these ninja were just pathetic.

"Emiko-kun."

Kabuto had sidled beside her. Of course he was here. Orochimaru was here. All the higher-ups were here. This was the "special" balcony with the good view. This "special" balcony where all the important servants and prodigies stood. At least there weren't too many people.

Emiko restrained herself from rolling her eyes, again. She was in no mood for one of Kabuto's cryptic messages. Those stupid lectures were just reminders or chores she had to do for Orochimaru. Today would be her day off, and it was bad enough that she had to spend it watching Uchiha freaking Sasuke.

"-This would be an opportune moment to display your strength, Emiko-kun," he nodded significantly in Orochimaru's direction.

Now Emiko rolled her eyes, she wasn't even listening to what he was saying. She scowled when Kabuto glared at her. It wasn't her fault that he was as predictable as she was. But at least Kabuto could get to his fucking point.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The more you do to prove yourself in Orochimaru-sama's eyes, the easier this will be," he paused, finishing the rest of the sentence in his head. _Easier for the both of us, that is._

She had to admit he had a valid point, even though she really didn't want to. And what was she supposed to do then? Help Sasuke kick all the Chunnins into yester year? No, he was doing a fine job all by himself. Was she supposed to beat up Orochimaru's beloved prodigy, _the_ Uchiha Sasuke?

Emiko glared at him from the balcony. Why the hell did he take off his shirt anyway? Emiko cringed once she thought of how excited Karin would be. That mental image would scar her for life. Unfortunately for Emiko, Sasuke looked up at the balcony at that very second and shoved his sword in the ground. She clenched her teeth. He had the same exact expression that Gaara did. And despite Emiko's annoyance that Sasuke reminded her even the slightest of _her_ Gaara, her mind decided to make up for it via imagery. The telltale signs began with her ears warming, then the blood rushing to her face. She was blushing. Emiko's hands flew to her nose. _Just_ in case, only the _slightest_ possibility… her nose was bleeding. A mental image of a shirtless Gaara did this to her.

_Shit. Does that mean I'm a pervert now?_ She cursed herself inwardly. _No! Of course I'm not. That's stupid._

Kabuto was watching mentally berate herself and raised his eyebrows.

"Emiko-"

Emiko pulled herself up onto the railing and stood.

"Hey you! Uchiha Sasuke!"

He turned around to see that orange-haired girl glaring at him. A small part of his self rolled its eyes and mumbled 'show-off'. He looked at her blankly. Emiko leapt off the railing and landed on the floor, some seven meters below the balcony. The stone floor cracked a bit under her landing. She lifted her head to look at the so-called "prodigy".

"Fight me."

There was no change in expression. Why did she have the feeling he wasn't even surprised? Well, she surprised herself by saying that. She hadn't even thought it through before she yelled at him. Perhaps she could rethink her 'predictability'…-

"No."

"Che," she muttered in disbelief. The impression she got in Konoha from Kakashi and Sakura was his notorious aggression and inferiority-complex. What happened to that? And she was impulsive for once! She needed something to back up that stunt she just did, or her ego would be at stake. And he was just as unshaken as ever. How anticlimactic!

Emiko vanished and reappeared behind Sasuke. He had known she would and spun around so he could face her. Emiko reappeared behind him a second later and caught his outstretched arm. They were back to back. He held his katana, seeming charged with something that looked like lightning. Her eyes widened as she felt it singe her skin. But if it was lightning running through his sword, then she guarded correctly by grabbing his arm. How lucky. She would have been burnt to a crisp otherwise.

"You aren't worth my time."

And he still wouldn't fight her?! She really had to hand it to him; he was doing an excellent job of making her look like a hot-blooded idiot. Emiko scowled.

Emiko relinquished his wrist. He dropped his arm and walked out of the arena, leaving the crowd of prison guards and soldiers screaming indignantly, leaving the masses of unconscious Chuunins behind.

She stared at the ground sourly. It was all for nothing. Her jaw clenched. Why wouldn't he fight her? Her arm fell to her side. Was she too weak? Emiko walked out of the arena, following his retreating footsteps.

.............................. ..........................................

"Why are you following me?"

Emiko stopped at the other end of the corridor. She was surprised it took him so long to confront her about it. There was no way he couldn't have detected her chakra, she didn't even try to hide it. They had been walking for at least five minutes. And at least he could turn around so she could glare at him properly!

"I already told you. Fight me."

He turned around. He was just as emotionless as she thought he would be. He was plenty used to people challenging him, and all for the name of 'Uchiha'. He wasn't here to fight every prisoner that had a superiority complex. He was an avenger, after all. He had goals that needed to be completed, whether he wanted to or not.

"I already said no."


	7. Chapter 7: My Path

Sorry for being late… again. Gahh.. Anyways thank you as always to greenteamoose and J1210. You people are so great. ^_^

Anyways let's get cranky face to disclaim for us.

Sasuke: …

Me: Come on! Try to be a bit less typical! … mumble mumble

Sasuke: What was that?

Me: Oh nothing… stupid Sasuke

Sasuke: Hn. TheContheDistance doesn't own Naruto.

Me: Hey! So you're not a stupid Sasuke after all! I was worried there for a sec!

Sasuke: ………… Hn.

* * *

"I already said no."

Emiko's mouth twitched. _How childish…_ She crossed her arms across her chest. She wasn't going to try running at him again, he would expect that, nor could she try to get him from behind. Not to mention she was starting to berate herself for chasing after him. Emiko shook her head. No… this was stupid. She should just leave before she embarrassed herself even further.

"Tch, what a mighty Uchiha."

"There you are Sasuke-kun. Hm? Emiko-kun?"

She had to restrain herself (yet again) from rolling her eyes. Why did Kabuto have to follow him? … But he did give her a viable excuse to leave…

"What is it?" Sasuke asked.

Emiko glared at him frankly, "Well, I'm going to go then."

"Ah, Emiko-kun! Orochimaru-sama wants to speak with you tomorrow."

"What is it this time?" She really just wanted to leave. The fact that she had to see the Otokage again, even though it was nearly a month since she last saw him, was just as exasperating as always. _My time could be up then…_ _It could be my time to become one of them._ If so… if so… Emiko sighed.

"Never mind. I'll be there."

What could she _do_?

* * *

The candle light was quivering erratically. Two grey eyes focused on the convulsing flame, narrowed ever so slightly. She was focusing all of her annoyance on that bloody candle. Maybe if she could put out that flame telepathically then Orochimaru could shut up. For five seconds. Maybe. Emiko nearly screamed in frustration.

"-Emiko-kun, do you know why I asked you here?"

She bit back her retort of '_Of course I do, you dumbass. I just came here for kicks.'_ and didn't reply.

He smiled, "It's human nature to crave glory and immortality. Such a thing is hard to accomplish, and very few have achieved."

Kabuto shifted restlessly. Emiko had forgotten he was there.

"Orochimaru-sama… is one of these people. No one had gone the lengths he has to achieve his goals."

"What does this have to do with me?" Emiko asked quietly. Orochimaru noted her shaking hands, and with a certain degree of satisfaction, that her pulse sky-rocketed. So she _was_ frightened… If he could push her a little farther, then…

"It has a lot to do with you, Emiko-kun. After all, he was the one that found you."

"_What?_" Her eyes widened.

Orochimaru chuckled, "It's true, Emiko-kun. Nearly ten years ago I found a hopeless orphan child from Kirigakure. However I saw potential in you, and I brought you to Konohagakure. Your body, Emiko-kun, was not fit to be my new one. But you had use still, and I kept an eye on you, sent shinobi of mine to fight you, and each time you ran from a village, I was able to place a new memory block jutsu on your mind."

"Y-you… that's not right," Emiko mumbled. _It can't be right._

"But it is, Emiko-kun."

* * *

So there it was. The truth. All of the truth. All of the truth compressed into a scroll and a small discussion. Orochimaru didn't even speak very much after he told her the basics. Then it was just Kabuto filling in the blanks. And now she had this scroll, this scroll that would tell her about her family. This old scroll. The Fubuki Clan. Her family.

Emiko closed her eyes. A shuddering breath blew from her lips. _My family_…

That word had never had such a meaning for her; it had died as soon as she saw her home on fire. But now… now she knew her name. _Fubuki…_ _Fubuki Emiko… Fubuki Haku… Fubuki Daisuke… Fubuki Izumi… Mother. This… is my family. _

Her fist tightened its grip on the scroll. She knew what was written on the sheet of paper. Two columns of names, one the head family, the other the branch family; just like Daisuke told her. And now the old man was dead. After begging for his life, Kabuto informed her, Orochimaru-sama was pitiful and left him to die in a broken shack.

Then she was found, guilty and weak, and Orochimaru saw something in her. Emiko had killed her parents after all, even if it was indirect, the responsibility rested on her shoulders. More or less, the Fubuki clan ended as soon as her memory was wiped clean.

And now what was she supposed to do? She was Orochimaru's servant. She always had been, even if she wasn't aware of it. It was like the cycle of her life just repeated itself, like a never-ending dream, like a story. Emiko closed her eyes again. The scroll dropped from her hands. She didn't want to cry. Never again. Never ever again.

_Gaara… I suppose I can't come back. I suppose we both have our own path, our own existence. Maybe one day, one day soon, we'll see each other again.

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I'm really sorry. I don't think I'll be able to finish Michi, Path properly. I really am sorry. I just don't think I can write it the way it should be. Not to mention the chapters are always rushed and late. It's just not worth it. I'm sorry. There's a summary for what I planned to write for the rest of the story so if you want to read that…

Thank you, to everyone who read this story and the last. A huge thank you to greenteamoose and J1210, you are totally awesome people. I'm sorry I didn't finish the story, but thank you for reviewing and all the are the best.

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Emiko asks Orochimaru to let her learn geography (she's planning on maybe running away when the time is right), and he lets her. A while later, Emiko hears a rumor in the lair that the Kazekage has been killed by the Akatsuki. Upset, Emiko interrupts Orochimaru's meeting with Sasuke to ask if this is true. He tells her that thanks to his spies in the Sand country, he knows that Deidara captured Gaara and indeed, he is dead. Emiko flips out, and Sasuke sees this. She later swears that she'll never rest until Deidara is dead.

Again another time skip, at a new lair Emiko is on the roof. She has decided that she will not sleep anymore to honor Gaara, despite the fact she knows that she is too obsessed with him and her feelings are not love. Sasuke was on the roof before her, and in order to drive him away she stays there. They both notice a strong wind blowing the trees. A few minutes later there is a loud screaming sound and heavy gusts of winds. The next Emiko is taken away and Sasuke, Orochimaru, Kabuto all stay behind to intercept the Leaf shinobi.

After Orochimaru's death, Sasuke and Suigetsu go and retrieve Emiko to become a part of Hebi (despite the fact they are more than a basic platoon), who remains silent until they reach Karin. Emiko becomes good friends with Juugo and realizes he is just like Gaara and she feels the same way for both of them. She realizes that it was true friendship (and a little fangirliness for Gaara) she was feeling for them. She gets along well with Suigetsu and horribly with Karin. She challenges Sasuke with her attitude most of the time. After Sasuke kills Deidara in her place (Emiko had been wounded and couldn't fight), their relationship becomes somewhat screwed up and Emiko decides that she hates him. Little by little, through out Team Hebi's adventures Emiko stops hating him and begins to respect him. Emiko is still weak though, and her illness isn't letting her recover easily. She stays behind when the Team goes to fight Itachi, though she does talk to Sasuke beforehand.

When they become part of Akatsuki, Emiko remains suspicious of the organization. She begins to develop feelings for Sasuke, even though she sure as hell will not admit it. Before they fight the 8-tails, Emiko and Sasuke get together, but it is still a very difficult relationship. Afterwards, Emiko realizes that she would chose her own path, and that path would be to follow Sasuke and help Sasuke in any way she can. She settles the meaning of her existence.


End file.
